Silicone Breast Implants are Safe, says the U.S. FDA

Dr. Christine Petti has long noted the value and safety of silicone breast implants for her patients considering breast augmentation in Los Angeles and the surrounding area. Now, one of the top health organizations in the country is reiterating its belief that silicone breast implants are safe.

Up until a few years ago, silicone breast implants had been the subject of controversy. From 1992 until 2006, this particular type of implant had been pulled from the marketplace by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in order to conduct further testing for safety. After 14 years of rigorous testing, silicone breast implants were deemed safe by the FDA for breast augmentation patients aged 22 and over, and breast reconstruction patients of any age. Since their re-introduction to the market, silicone breast implants have become more and more popular, and advances in technology have made them even better.

Recently, the FDA held discussions and heard testimony from a variety of people in the medical community, as well as drug manufacturers and members of the public, to follow up on the safety of silicone breast implants since they again became widely available, and the conclusion that they are safe was re-affirmed. An article from Gardiner Harris of the New York Times cites a chief scientist for the FDA, Dr. William Maisel, as saying that the organization felt the implants were safe before these latest meetings, and that it continues to feel that the implants are safe after the discussions. He also said that, although there are still risks of complications with silicone breast implants, women should be assured that the FDA believes that the implants are safe. Reports of the hearings noted that Dr. Maisel also said he agrees with some groups present at the meeting who stated that some makers of the implants did not do adequate follow-up studies once the implants were re-introduced to the market. Dr. Maisel said post-approval studies will continue and the FDA is committed to making sure follow-up rates improve. There was also consensus that the requirement for M.R.I. scans on a periodic basis in order to detect complications such as “silent rupture” in silicone breast implants should be re-evaluated in cases of healthy, asymptomatic patients, as many experts felt the requirement that patients get the M.R.I. screening three years after placement of implants, and then every two years after that, was unrealistic.

Overall, Dr. Petti believes that the recent findings by the FDA are consistent with her experience providing patients with silicone breast implants, giving women a safe, natural-looking breast augmentation with beautiful results.

If you would like to discuss silicone breast implants and other options for breast augmentation with Dr. Petti, we invite you to contact us today. Dr. Petti will be happy to answer your questions and address any concerns you may have.